The Change
by peeps42
Summary: Gabe wanted to take Chloe out of Smallville to a more normal life. But everything always starts off normal.
1. The Change

_Title: The Change_

_Author: peepsRfun2eat_

_Summary: After Chloe landing in the hospital again with concussion # 1,000 Gabe decides to move. The drawback, it is senior year and it is to a place where it will be more normal. Where no freak of the week is trying to eat her, but it always seems to start out normal. AU a lot of Smallville happened Season 1 and 2 and some of season 3. But no Helen and Chloe managed to take down Lionel. Ok got it? NO? Well umm...just go with the flow? Please?_

_Author note: Occasionally the viewpoint changes, so if you get confused sorry. Wrote it and edited it and hope you read it and please review it._

_Chapter 1: Are we there yet?_

The 'You are now leaving Ohio' sign signaled the half way point of this semi-cross country move that the Sullivan family was on.

"Don't even think about it Chloe," said Gabe Sullivan.

"Now what is that?" Chloe asked.

"What you have asked me for the past two days, every few minutes."

"Now what question would that be?

"Are we there yet?" mimicked Gabe in his best Chloe imitation.

"I don't sound like that, besides the question is, why after years of living in Smallville, you suddenly decide to pack up and leave?"

"Chloe, you were getting hurt it seemed every week."

She merely shot him a look that said 'cut the crap and give me the truth'.

"Plus I didn't think our insurance carrier could take it anymore," Gabe tried to joke.

With a sigh Chloe looked out the window, this last year she was only in the hospital once and it was because appendicitis which is hardly her fault. If anything they should have moved her sophomore year. Whatever the real reason; her father was not talking. She had already tried the whole 'Daddy I'm still your little angel' look and she even added the deer in head lights look Clark made into an art form and the quivering lip that Lana used.

Still to her frustration her father was holding out on her. Even after two days of this cross country trip hell. It was driving her nuts. She should have worn him down by now. After all she was, Chloe Sullivan, the girl who unraveled what Clark Kent was, winner of best newspaper and editor in Kansas, brought down Lionel Luthor and somehow managed to finally get Clark and Lana the words most overdramatic couple together. Her father though was better than she thought at keeping something secret, oh well, there were still two more hours until a new house, new place, and she the new girl her senior year.

She sighed again and looked out the window; the Appalachian Mountains were fast approaching, beautiful but not comforting. Chloe couldn't believe that she actually missed the flat planes of Kansas. She always thought of herself as a city girl being raised in Metropolis, but maybe like a fungus, Smallville had grown on her.

"Wait what about Lana? She was more likely to have the medical stay than I was."

"Lana although I do worry about her, is not my daughter. Besides the Kent family seemed to love the idea of her staying with them."

"I'm sure."

'Clark vouched for Lana, the Kent 'rents don't even know they are going out. Wonder how the Kent's would feel knowing that they will be spending an inordinate amount of time in the barn playing stable hand and rich equestrian girl or something. Sounds like a bad porno, the catchphrase would be, 'She just doesn't like riding her horses'. Oh dear god did I just think that? Ewwww...I really need to get out of this car,' thought Chloe.

Chloe's face scrunched up in obvious pain. Gabe looked over to see his daughter looking obviously pained by something.

"Are you feeling fine?"

Still reeling from a mental image that would traumatize the Kent's cows, Chloe barely realized that her father had just asked her a question.

"Ye...no it's just that's it's my senior year and now we have to move? I mean come on dad."

"Sweetie I just don't know what else to say."

Chloe sighed for what seemed to be the fifty millionths time today and looked out the window getting a look on her face that worried him. Gabe shoulders slumped in defeat. Don't feel guilty, don't feel guilty, don't feel guilty was the mantra he tried to stick to but the look on his daughter's face made him break the silence.

"Alright fine anything else? We do have two hours, question, complaint, or how I worry too much about your well being."

"Question."

"And?"

"Are we there yet daddy?"

Gabe merely groaned, stupid guilt trips. She was not going to let the last two hours of this trip be easy for him. He was never doing a 20 hour car trip **ever again**.

_End note: Hopefully you liked it, would appreciate reviews, critiques, flames or non-sequiturs are all welcomed. You could just put down "Read", "Continue", "Thumbs up" or "Thumbs Down" for a review and I would love to know that someone is actually looking at it. Also don't worry there is a story here. I swear it will reveal itself to you. Thanks!_

_- peepsRfun2eat_


	2. The Offical Welcoming Commitee

_Title: The Change_

_Author: PeepsRfun2eat_

_Rating: PG-13 due to some bad language_

_To my lovely and loved reviewers (if you want to feel the love drop a review)_

_autumngold Who said that Chloe was going to leave Lex behind? Trust me when I say he'll have more than just a cameo appearance._

_carebear11488 Well Lana, Pete, and Clark will be mentioned later and may be in the story later (I think)._

_Asharnanae Hopefully you enjoy this next chapter as much as the first._

_SAnna Thank-you._

_Don't own Smallville else the pink princess would not be warrior queen/Goth extraordinaire that they are trying to make her in the series. Or stop trying to shove it down our throats that we are supposed to like her. Ugh! On with the story!_

Chapter 2: The Official Welcoming Committee

During the age of prohibition Chicago ruled the country with it's tales of Al Capone on the Southside of Chicago. The nation romanticized the violence that was taking place in the city. After the Valentine's Day Massacre people in the nation and even the lawless city that was Chicago saw that something needed to be done. Gotham never had the fortune of having a Valentine's Day Massacre. Their organized crime was never subjected to the national spotlight quite like Al Capone in Chicago. Gotham's crime learned from the mistakes of other cities. It came in slowly but surely like a virus and started attacking the main components of the city. First the crime, streets, to get the capital to gain power, then the politicians and police to look the other way and establish connections. Finally the people who realized that nothing in their city was untainted and the only way to survive would be to accept that fact.

Gotham had the highest crime rate in the nation, it was contaminated with crime but its geological location of being between a large body of water and mountains made it perfect for transgressions to continue. The city was quarantined and no one on the outside wanted to help.

So why the hell has my father moved me here? He said he wanted me to be safer, maybe it is some reverse psychology thing or he could have just lost his mind, thought Chloe.

After hours of winding through the mountains they were slowly descending into the west and north side of the city that had higher elevation than the rest of the city. It made a person light headed; the clouds surrounded the beautiful mansions giving it a dreamy look. A visitor wouldn't recognize this as the Gotham they had heard of, and Chloe being one was shocked. This Gotham was not the one with a high rate of murders and an equal number of psychos. But to be fair most of mansions were that of local crime lords, politicians, and businessmen on the take. So in a way the visitor was better informed than the local, in that believing crime affected every part of the broken city, it was just hidden behind the high hedges and fences of the west and north part of the city.

As their car continued it's descent from the mountains and through the north and west part of Gotham the differences were startling. The downtown was stark against the pollution filled skyline. The city constantly seemed to have a downpour from the moisture that was in the air. It however was not the stickiness of humidity but had a cold breeze so it chilled a person to the bone and raised the hairs on the back of the neck, even though it was the middle of July at 1 in the afternoon.

Chloe looked out her window and could see from the raised highway they were on, that the areas south of the highway were not exactly prime real estate. Large buildings of low income housing loomed in the distance. Dilapidated buildings and empty lots were visible to the naked eye. It was such a contrast to the perfectly manicured lawns and large houses that she had seen moments before.

The car pulled off the highway and into a neighborhood that seemed to be getting over hard times. Chloe looked over to see her Dad eyeing the area warily.

"What's the address again?"

"It is 1060 W. Addison."

"So this is where we live?"

"A little bit further northwest it is close to your school and my work."

"That reminds me, why after years of living in Smallville did you decide to suddenly pack up and leave?"

"Try another question, Chloe."

"Are we there yet?"

"Try again."

Frustrated at this long 20 hour trip, leaving behind everything she had known and silence on why they had left, she snapped in her will and at him.

"Where are you working and where the **fuck** am I going to school?"

"Language Chloe."

"Sorry dad, but has been a little frustrating you playing this whole 'the chick from the piano', type routine."

"First I am not a chick and secondly she was a mute Chloe; I have been talking to you."

"You know what I mean, you have been mute on the subjects of what are we doing moving cross country, where I am going to school and what job is so important we had to leave."

"Chloe fine but promise you won't screech or freak out."

"I promise."

"Alright," Gabe sighed heavily wondering if he should tell his daughter the truth, especially since they were in such confined spaces and he was operating a motor vehicle. But against his better judgment he went ahead, "I really don't know yet."

"What?!"

"That was a screech."

"NO THIS IS SCREECHING!" screeched Chloe.

Gabe glanced at his daughter briefly and wondered how he never got in a car accident during these moments.

"Chloe I'm sorry this was a promise I made a long time ago to someone and they called it in and you know we Sullivan's do not back out."

Chloe sighed and the car was silent for several moments as both parties mulled over what had been said in the past few moments. Chloe broke the silence and offered the olive branch.

"I know dad. I'm sorry for freaking out."

"Well I'm sorry for not keeping you up to date. My eardrums just can't take it anymore."

"Dad."

"Yeah Chloe?" said Gabe looking over at his daughter.

"Na!" and Gabe saw his daughter sticking out her tongue at him.

"Aren't you supposed to be a senior in high school?"

"Whatever, I'll forever be your little girl."

"Always sweetie."

Gabe smiled at his daughter and went back to watching the road.

Chloe lay back in her seat watching the neighborhood around her. It looked like an unusual neighborhood. Culture, diversity, and everyone marching to the beat of their own drum, everything Smallville shuns. As if to stress its complete difference from the small Kansas town an extremely tall woman with an Adam's apple and her two companions, one who looked like a beatnik from the 50's and the other a woman who carried a large portfolio. The trio crossed in front of the car. Nope definitely not Smallville, and for the first time this trip a smile crossed her.

"Yeah Clark we've settled in just fine. (Pause) No, Clark. (Pause) No Clark. (Pause) How many times do I have to tell you I have not been a victim of crime. (Pause) Clark how about when it happens I'll tell you first. OK? Listen I gotta finish unpacking talk to you later, tell Lana I say hello. (Pause) No Clark I don't need to talk to her. (Pause) Clark listen I have to...Oh hello Lana, yeah the trip was good. (Pause) No I swear it wasn't because of you that I left. (Pause) Lana I swear not everyone is going to leave you. (Pause) Look at Clark he is still in Smallville as is Pete. (Pause) Well why don't you just apply to Metropolis too. (Pause) No you're smart enough to get in. (Pause) Lana you are not a failure, a 9 out of 10 on the quiz does not mean you won't get into Metropolis. (Pause) Listen Lana, I have to go. (Pause) No I swear I am not trying to just hang up on you. (Pause) No I consider you my friend still and well here is the thing I am really tired and I have a whole bunch of unpacking to do and if I could I would talk to you all night, but I won't be much fun. Listen how about you call me at noon tomorrow, that is 10 our time. Ok? (Pause) Good. Talk to you tomorrow. (Pause) No that's ok, just tell Clark I said bye. No, no...hello Clark, uh-huh, ok listen really gotta go, ok, goodnight."

Chloe quickly hung up the phone before they could continue passing it back in forth in the sadistic game that they called a phone conversation. Why couldn't they just be like Pete and say hello, chat and then hang up before it got completely inane and the phone bills went to high? Oh well at least Lana wouldn't call her 'til 2 p.m. the next day. Chloe snickered at the thought.

Lana had never been good at telling time much less knowing the time zones. Chloe did worry did Lana actually think that Smallville in Central time was ahead of Eastern Time in Gotham? She should never travel, imagine if she went overseas to some place like Paris, would probably get so confused she would lose herself and try and become someone new. Probably stop wearing pink, think she was some sort of warrior princess and at the sudden thought of Lana not wearing pink and dressed like Lucy Lawless, Chloe giggled. That would be an impending sign of the apocalypse or hell was freezing over and soon all the first born would be dead.

"Chloe!" yelled Gabe from the first floor.

"Yeah dad?"

"What are you doing?"

Chloe groaned if she answered nothing then he would make her do something but if she said she was he would come in to see what she was doing. Then if he saw her doing nothing he'd get angry and she'd feel guilty and in the end have to help him. So she decided to skip all the drama.

"Nothing."

"Good could you come help me?"

"Sure dad, be right there."

Chloe looked around her room for her phone stand.

Her room, the apartment, in Gotham, it sounded strange.

It turned out that after realizing this was a neighbor hood that was the antithesis of Smallville and smiling genuinely for the first time this trip the building they were staying in was less than a block away. The Sullivan family got out of the car and stretched, then looked up at the building that was to be their home. It was a large brick building, that was non-descript with seven stories.

The sound of a train broke the Sullivan's out of their daze. Looking half a block down they saw a subway but above ground.

"Don't worry the building is sound proof, so you won't even realize you're in the city, much less the EL," said a voice.

Chloe turned her head to see an attractive man in his twenties standing in front of her and her father. Chloe nearly made a noise for being startled and instead gulped the noise down. The man must have noticed because he chuckled and held his hand out to the both of them.

"Wayne, Bruce Wayne."

"Bruce?" said Gabe.

"Hey Gabe."

"Wow, you've grown up. I can barely remember the last time I saw you."

"I think I was just 7."

"It was really that long ago. It seems just days ago, I guess I am revealing my age."

"You look exactly the same, except not as big."

Both men shared a laugh and Chloe looked around, she knew the name Wayne but she couldn't place it. Both men stopped and Bruce looked at her.

"You must be Chloe; I don't even think you were born when I last saw Gabe."

They shook hands and Chloe couldn't still pinpoint exactly where she had heard his name before. And he looked really familiar. Now why the hell couldn't she remember it?

"May I ask how you know my father?"

Bruce looked at Gabe as if to ask if it was ok to say anything and Gabe must have consented due to the man actually answered the question.

"He used to work for my parents. They called Gabe one of their most trusted and loyal employees, which is probably no surprise to you since he is your father."

"Are you his boss?"

Bruce looked mildly surprised that she figured it out. And at that if it had been a cartoon a light bulb would have appeared above Chloe's head.

"You are aren't you?"

"Now, why would just assume that?"

It was a challenge and let it never be said that Chloe Sullivan backed down.

"Well when I first meet you, I knew you were familiar but I couldn't figure out where from. Then I remember reading about LuthorCorp., being in merger talks with a company that I had never heard of before. It was Wayne Enterprises and so I just did a little homework because my father being a LuthorCorp. employee lay offs are expected during mergers. Turned out wouldn't affect him.

"I would have abandoned it but I was curious why I had never really heard of this company. It turned out their owner a Mr. Bruce Wayne had just come back from a seven year sabbatical that started right after he came into possession of the company he inherited from his parents. Now that he had returned, the company would be starting up again in the poverty and crime stricken Gotham and that he seemed like a hope to help rebuild this city.

"Well were in Gotham, your name is Bruce Wayne and now you just said that your own parents trusted my father and he said that he was coming here as a favor. So I figured you are rebuilding the company by getting the same men that your own parents trusted. Am I correct?"

"Yes and you could put any detective to shame."

"Thank you."

"Well since we all know why were here I'll take you to your place."

Chloe got her bag out of the car and walked up to the building, following her father and Bruce inside. Walking in Chloe noticed a man who seemed to be just lounging around the room, he looked like a tenet. He was tall, over 30 and was wearing just a shirt and jeans, with a large coat.

"Mr. Thomas," said Bruce.

"Mr. Wayne," said Mr. Thomas, who continued to sit on the chair.

Mr. Thomas went into his pocket and pulled out a large sack.

"Hello you must be the Sullivan's? Correct?" said Mr. Thomas.

"Yes, I am Gabe and this is my daughter Chloe," said Gabe who shook the man's hand as did Chloe.

"I'm your doorman," said Mr. Thomas. "So if you ever need anything just let me know."

"Thank you Mr. Thomas," said Bruce who started walking away and the Sullivan family followed as he walked to an elevator labeled "4". "If you want to get your apartment you have to get on elevator '4'."

There was a ping, the doors opened, and the group got on.

"You can press 6 or 7, both are your apartment. Any preferences?"

"No," said both Sullivan's.

It was a fairly quiet ride up to the apartment. The doors opened and they were in a small hallway.

"This is where you need your key," said Bruce who went into the sack Mr. Thomas had given him and pulled out a key and opened the door.

"This is the largest unit in the building, it is two floors and you take up the whole Northwest part of the sixth and seventh floor of the building. You're about four apartments combined together. It's just over 2,500 square feet," continued Bruce

Stepping into the place Chloe suddenly knew how those kids from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory felt when they saw the chocolate room. It was huge. Probably bigger than the house that they lived in Smallville. Chloe remembered they had sold almost all of their stuff because they couldn't afford to move it. The place was tastefully furnished in an urban classic feel. Bruce was no Mr. Wonka and this was no chocolate room but hell this was probably the closest she'd ever get.

"Wow," said Gabe.

"I take your wow and see it a holy cow," said Chloe.

Bruce smiled watching as the two walked around the place with their mouths open.

After being in shock for a half hour, Chloe and Gabe, with the assistance of Bruce started unpacking. He left after another hour and now it was just the Sullivan's left.

After unpacking and talking with Pete, Lana, and Clark, Chloe was currently checking out what exactly her father needed help with. Looking around the second floor Chloe wondered if she should pinch herself but, nah. Chloe walked down the stairs giggled, and clapped her hands looking around the first floor.

Gabe walked out to see his daughter doing a little dance, giggling and clapping her hands.

"Maybe Bruce is pumping laughing gas in here because this is the happiest I've seen you since we decided to move," said Gabe.

"Dad you'd do it, too, but you're to self conscious," said Chloe.

In perfect imitation of his daughter Gabe rolled his eyes.

"Chloe could you please come help me," said Gabe gesturing towards the front room.

They walked in and Chloe knew this was probably her father's favorite room. It had a big flat screen and two Laz-E-Boys and one really long comfy couch.

"So what's the prob, bob?"

"I can't figure out how to turn on the TV," said Gabe.

Chloe looked down at the remote controls and started laughing.

"Don't laugh I know your generation is more technologically advance than mine but you don't need to rub it in," said Gabe.

"It's not that dad, it's that there are four different remotes and well I have no idea either."

"Well then it will be a learning experience for the both of us."

A few hours later after figuring out that the biggest one controlled the TV/satellite dish, the smallest one controlled the surround sound, the grey one controlled the fire place, and the fourth one controlled well everything. Chloe finally left her new home to find exactly what type of neighborhood she was living in, so she took her first steps out of the apartment and into the elevator.

Chloe got off the elevator and looked around the foyer and nodded to the doorman, she had met hours earlier.

"Mr. Thomas."

"Miss Sullivan."

Sitting in a high backed chair that was in a corner Chloe wondered if this was to be the rest of her summer. Stuck in the apartment while she knew her friends back at home were having a fun time? Joy!

That's when she heard it, "Excuse me, Mr. Thomas where is there a restaurant around here?"

It couldn't be she thought, but the voice was unmistakable. Looking up she saw the immaculate suit, and smooth head of a Mr. Lex Luthor.

Standing up Chloe walked up behind Lex as he was just walking out the door and tried to think of something to say. Well why don't you try his name first said an annoying voice in her head.

"Lex, of all the gin joints in all the towns in all, the world you had to walk into this one."

Turning around Lex smiled at Chloe.

"This is not exactly a gin joint Chloe, and I think gin joint went out back in the 50's."

"Non-sense, gin joint is still cool since the Bogart said it. So Mr. Luthor just why are you here?"

"Miss Sullivan, are you always this inquisitive?"

"I like to think interested."

"Ok, if you must know I am friends with Mr. Wayne. I had some business to attend to in Gotham and he was kind enough to put me up."

"Would that be merger talks in the weapons section of Wayne Enterprises and Luthor Corporation?"

"On or off the record Chloe?"

"Off. Besides I already questioned Mr. Wayne and he gave it all up."

"Why am I not surprised? I still say no comment. But would you like to come out to a restaurant that Mr. Thomas has recommended?"

"I'd be honored."

Lex held the door open for Chloe and the two walked down the street to the restaurant.

Walking home after dinner with Lex, was strange, for one she couldn't believe it was summer, she was wearing her sweater. The other was she just went out to dinner with Lex, sure she had talked to him in Smallville and they bought down Lionel but after all was said and done he had to take care of LuthorCorp., and that required him to move to Metropolis full time. The second half of her junior year Chloe barely saw Lex around Smallville.

They were currently walking down a street and about a block away from her new home. It turned out the charming restaurant that Mr. Thomas recommended to Lex was actually a diner. However the burgers and fries were surprisingly good.

At the restaurant they talked about Smallville and the weirdness that it was. After leaving the diner they were walking in a comfortable silence, Lex even ignored his cell phone. The El was currently going overhead the two of them, but did not bother either.

"So how is your father's stay at Belle Revue going? I had hoped to learn more after hearing about his nasty nervous breakdown, in the state pen," she said.

"His stay has been shorted."

"Really. Why?"

"He requested to be moved to..."

But before Lex could finish answering the question, a large man slid out of the shadows holding a gun.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk why do people even bother walking here at night? Girlie put your fucking hands up and bub. How about you give me your wallet and that watch," said the mugger gesturing to Lex's Rolex. "I'm your official night stroll welcoming committee to Gotham."

Lex saw Chloe pop something into her hands that were up in the air. She flicked something with her thumb.

"Hey don't you know who this guy is?" said Chloe.

"I really don't give a fuck, girlie. And I don't give a shit about you, so just shut your mouth."

"Maybe you should."

"Why is that bitch?"

"Because I know Tanner."

"And I'd give two flying fucks because?"

"They make really good mace."

Chloe then compressed a button on the small canister and mace shot into the mugger's eyes.

"Fucking cunt!" said the mugger who in his daze pointed his gun at Chloe.

Lex knocked the gun out of the mugger's hand and then decked the mugger knocking the man out cold. Breathing heavily Lex looked over to see Chloe was already dialing 911 and talking to the dispatch.

They stood there for a minute or two both in shock and not able to say anything to the other. Lex noticed Chloe was slowly zoning out and looked ready to faint. Touching her shoulder Chloe looked up. Lex noticed there was a track of moisture going down Chloe's cheeks. Lex cupped Chloe's left cheek and wiped away a tear.

"He could have killed us," she whispered.

"Yes he could have, but you saved us, very Demi Moore of you with the mace. You should have said sorry but we're from Smallville. We have handled worse," he whispered back.

She didn't laugh at his attempt at a joke but instead could only stammer and try to breath.

Lex realized this was probably the only time he had seen Chloe in this type of way. She had faced so many things and he had never been there for the after effects. He just threw money at the situation. Having your life threatened several times before your eighteen would fuck anyone up, look at him.

Lex continued brushing her cheek softly, but the tears kept falling. He then did something that neither really foresaw happening.

He pulled her forward into a hug.

_A/N_

_Hopefully no one thinks it is too cliché that Chloe moved to Gotham but well I always liked Gotham more than Metropolis. My Bruce Wayne looks like Christan Bale (b/c he's the new Batman and is really hot. My Bruce is 22 or 23 as is Lex in this story.)_

_FYI or Stuff/References you may have not gotten._

_Lex says: Yes he could have, but you saved us, very **Demi Moore** of you with the mace._

_In the movie One Crazy Summer (with John Cusack classic 80's flick see it!) Demi Moore does a similar thing to bunch of guys who are trying to beat the crap out of the heroes of the movie._

_Chloe says: "Lex, **of all the gin joints in all the towns in all, the world you had to walk into this one**."_

_Oh yeah should mention don't own Casablanca or Humphrey Bogart, classic line from that movie._

_Bruce says: "Don't worry the building is sound proof, so you won't even realize you're in the city much less the **EL**," said a voice._

_EL it is like a subway but above ground. It's called the EL because elevated._

_Also don't own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but yeah just citing it because I love it and they are remaking it and Johnny Depp is staring in it! Double Squee! Don't own the Piano but a very strange movie._

_Thanks for the reviews! Again thumbs up/ thumbs down, continue/what were you thinking, or 'Read and liked' or 'Read and disliked'. I accept anything even flames seriously. Sorry if you think this chapter sucks compared to one but was hard to write. Chapter 3 is fun and with fun references!_

_Thanks and go review! Ciao!_


	3. The Calm

Chapter 3 The Calm

Title: The Change

Author: peepsRfun2eat now

A/N: I know WTF? I've updated and I am committed to finishing this story. Funny story I was on my way to the forum when I went away to school, left school, traveled and my mother got sick. Seriously though I have thought about this story for the past few years quite a bit and have most of it written I however need a fantastic beta.

Chapter 3:

Looking down at the resume Bruce lifted his eyebrow; Gabe had learned over the past month working with him that it meant that he was impressed by something.

"Who is this?"

"It is a Dr. Jason Woodrue."

"He wants to work in South America?"

"Yes, and he would also be bringing his assistant."

"Who would that be?"

Gabe picked up the file and looked through it.

"A Ms.Pamela Isley."

"What are they studying?" asked Bruce.

"How to save the environment in an industrial world," said Gabe.

"That's it?"

"Well that's the gist of their proposal."

"Well they shouldn't really be any problem. Should we give them the grant?"

"It would look like Wayne Enterprises does care about the environment and could be used if something ever arose concerning Wayne Enterprises and the environment."

"Good point, lets just hope we're never in that type of situation."

There was something else he wanted to ask but he couldn't quite remember.

"Wait Gabe who recommended him?" asked Bruce.

"Mr. Lionel Luthor."

"Of Luthor Corp.?"

"Is there any other?"

"Does that seem a little strange to you? Lionel is a slimy bastard who is currently incarcerated."

"I just assume Lionel has a lot of time on his hands now, so he has to do something. However that's not what is strange to me, what is strange to me is how similar Dr. Woodrue and Mr. Luthor look."

"Can I see it dad?" asked Chloe.

Chloe walked in to hear her father and Mr. Wayne discussing some of Wayne Enterprises new employees or charitable opportunities. After the incident with Lex in July an understanding came over Gabe and decided to get Chloe a psychologist. First Moira left, then the move and all that was Smallville happened her first three years in high school and they had not really talked about any of it.

After her appointment on Wednesdays, with a Dr. Quinn, Chloe would check in with him at four o'clock at the Wayne Enterprises building in downtown Gotham. Then they would go out to dinner together.

Gabe looked at his daughter who in the past weeks he had finally started to truly see as a strong woman and regretted never being as part in his daughter's life. Gabe gestured to Bruce asking permission for Chloe to see the file. The billionaire shrugged his shoulders and Gabe nodded to Chloe.

Chloe walked over and looked at the file, the guy sure did look like Lionel Luthor, if he was younger and had glasses.

"Well I shouldn't hold it against the good doctor for looking like a man I despise. Besides it's not like this Dr. Woodrue is a mad scientist or anything."

Bruce chuckled and Gabe smiled weakly, thinking over the more interesting stories that Chloe had been telling him recently. Turns out that being held hostage is small potatoes in Smallville.

'God what a mimbo,' thought Chloe. Having had experiences watching the residents of small town Smallville become freaks that had tried to kill her or someone she knew on a weekly basis, instead just stood there and hoped that would come back to bite him in his ass. Not to be vindictive or anything just so Mr. Wayne would learn his lesson.

Chloe then sat around for the next hour listening as the two men debated over certain employees.

"Chloe?"

Chloe looked up to see Gabe talking to her.

"Huh? Yeah Dad?" she said.

"I said we can get going."

The Sullivan's started gathering their stuff and were about to say good-bye to Bruce and walk out of the office when an older man and Alfred walked into the room.

"Gabe," said the man.

"Mr. Fox, this is my daughter Chloe," said Gabe. "Chloe this is Lucius Fox, CEO of Wayne Enterprises."

"So that means be nice?" asked Chloe looking at her father.

Mr. Fox started laughing.

"Hello Miss Sullivan," said Mr. Fox.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Fox," said Chloe shaking his hand.

Gabe and Mr. Fox started talking about something and Chloe wondered if she was really going to get out of there, but before she started fidgeting, Gabe and Mr. Fox had stopped talking.

"Excuse us," said Mr. Fox.

"Oh wait I'm so sorry, can I just steal Mr. Wayne from you for a second?" she asked Mr. Fox.

"Sure," said Mr. Fox.

Chloe and Gabe walked over to Bruce who was talking to Alfred.

"So how can I help you Miss Sullivan?"

Looking at Bruce a thought briefly went through her mind that he was a billionaire but could he pull off a bald head? Only a really hot, charismatic, oh dear god, this is what the Dr. Quinn said might happen, hero worship, now…focus Sullivan.

"So where am I going for the last year of my high school career?" asked Chloe.

"It is a nice high school and I believe Mr. Fox got you a ride home," said Bruce Wayne.

"Now Mr. Wayne you are not that old. You surly remember some of your high school experience. A 'nice' high school, you have to admit that your statement is an oxy-moron," said Chloe.

"Don't worry Miss Sullivan it comes highly recommended," he said a smile playing on his face.

Chloe knew she shouldn't have trusted the man when he said that with a smile almost threatening to split his face in half. But it was a good smile that made her think of an even better smile that belonged to the bald head that she was thinking of earlier and made her quickly forget any questions or qualms.

Those questions and qualms came back with a vengeance on Monday morning in late August.

"Damn you Bruce Wayne I am so going to kill you," muttered Chloe under her breath.

The reason the high school was so nice was because it was St. Mary of Nice, all girls' Catholic high school. Looking down at her uniform Chloe continued damning Bruce Wayne, his ancestors, and the sperm that would produce the Wayne heir.

She wore a plaid skort that was a forest green that had red and white accents. Her shirt was white, with the school's crest embroidered on the upper left breast in the same forest green with the words, 'A **Nice** High School', going over it like a rainbow. Her shoes were a pair of black Mary Jane's with heels under ½ an inch. It was listed in the school's handbook that if your shoes were over ½ an inch there would be disciplinary action taken until new shoes were worn that met with school standards.

Rounding out her ensemble and the cherry on the sundae was that above said school crest and words 'A **Nice** High School' a name bar was to be worn. It was basically an ID since it said her name and year that she graduated. It had no picture of her, just 'Chloe Sullivan', what the fuck was the point of this damn thing? Her brain could turn it over for hours and hours but in the end it was just another way of branding a person.

She was currently standing in front of the Principal and President's office which happened to be in the busiest hallway in the school waiting for her tour guide to show up.

Chloe felt the need to scream followed by the need to run like a bat out of hell and find Bruce Wayne then hunt him down and kill him. Then she'd dress him up in this damn uniform, and he would have the damn skort riding up his ass for all eternity as he lay in his coffin! 'Yes! YES! **YES**!, that would so work, thought Chloe manically.

She was interrupted by her homicidal thoughts as a fellow student pushed past her.

"Hey move it, or lose it newbie!" said the fellow prisoner.

"So sorry your majesty," said Chloe.

The girl continued walking but Chloe could follow her through the crowded hallway since her shaking fist was up in the air directed towards her.

"I see you have already managed to piss off Ms. Smith," said a voice.

"What?"

"Yeah the dean thinks it's funny to dress up like a freshman the first day of school and freak out the new ones."

"What?"

Chloe turned around to see a black girl with brown eyes and her hair pulled back in a simple pony tail.

"So let me guess Chloe Sullivan?"

"Yeah, who was that?"

"Ms. Julie Smith, Dean of Students, she probably didn't have her cup of puppy's blood this morning."

Chloe tried to digest the fact that a member of the administration was that strange then realized she had no clue who this girl was.

"I'm sorry who are you?" asked Chloe.

"Oh yeah sorry, I'm your tour guide Etta Harris. I'll show you around St. Mary of Nice all girls Catholic High School. Let us start the tour, please keep your hands on your person, if you need to make a pit stop please let me know, any and all questions will be answered and we're walking here."

They started walking down the hallway and the dark wood was so polished that Chloe could see her own dark distorted reflection.

"The school is a Gothic style building that was built as a seminary. However they had rebuilt a bigger and better one about a mile to the north. So the old building became a woman's finishing school, then an all girl's high school in the 50's. Considered the top school for girls in the city of Gotham."

"So what are the people like?"

"This being this school, you get a mix of daughters whose parents are the most prominent, some whose parents have the money but not really the respect, some are on scholarship, and then there are those whose parents have everyone in their pockets."

"Really?"

Chloe figured this was one of the stranger introductions to a new institution.

"As long as you have money or know someone you can go here, that can mean ladies who lunch, a man who supplies all the drugs on the Southside or you're extremely lucky," continued Etta.

"Wow so can I ask which one you are?"

"I'm on scholarship which is why I give the tours around here."

"Ahhh…which ones should I avoid?"

"There are no real groups to avoid just certain girls. Wait let me explain that better. There are some bitchy rich socialite wannabes, they usually hang out together but then I have a friend who is very nice but happens to come from a family with money."

"I'll take to remembering that. Do you like it?"

"I like my friends, I like some of my teachers, I like some of my classes but I think the administration is idiotic. There are some days where it is fine but then other days I feel like it is the one circle of hell Dante forgot about."

Chloe laughed as they continued walking down the hall.

Fifth period, journalism the one just before lunch, which sucked because her stomach was already growling.

After getting lost several times even though Etta's tour brought her to her current classrooms, Chloe still explored several different hallways, the gothic style Etta described making it creepier than any corn field in Kansas and finally managed to find the room. The majority of her classes she was usually a few minutes late for this one was no exception. When she entered the room there was chatter coming from every direction. It seemed that the advisor a middle aged woman was trying to quiet it down, gave up and came up to Chloe.

"Chloe Sullivan?"

"Yes."

"I'm Ms. Davis, hold on."

The woman disappeared off for a moment then a shout went up.

"HEY EVERYONE SHUT THE HELL UP!"

The din of voices quieted down.

It was a shorter girl probably shorter than herself. The supervisor looked relieved and finally spoke.

"We have a new student, Chloe Sullivan, she's going to be a reporter. She is from Smallville, Kansas and I am sure will be happy to answer any questions you may have about her."

A loud crash from the hallway had Ms. Dent running to check it out, and the classroom went back to its loud chaos.

There seemed to be no assigned seats just students spread out in different areas talking. Chloe managed to spot Etta talking to the one who had shouted. They were sitting at the end of a table and looking over some photos.

"Hey, Etta."

Etta looked up and gestured to the seat across from her.

"Hiya Chloe and welcome to journalism," she said.

"Hello," said the other girl. "Excuse us."

The two went back to discussing what looked like the layout of a page. Chloe watched as this chaos happened around her.

She had to wonder how the advisor managed to handle all the stress.

"Hey how does Ms. Dent handle all of this?"  
Instead of a response or even looking up to acknowledge her, the short one stuck her hand up blocking Chloe's vision of her. Etta just shot her a look of sympathy and shrugged her shoulders.

'WTF?' thought Chloe. 'Is she telling me to talk to the hand? Does anyone even do that anymore?'

The short girl then looked up and said, "Gin, lots and lots of gin."

Ms. Dent wandered over told something to the two of them but Chloe couldn't hear over the noise of the classroom. She saw both Etta and the girl nod their heads and then Etta got up and left the room with Ms. Dent.

"Hey who is Vicki?"

Every person looked up from what they were doing and watched as a thin girl stood up to claim a heavily marked up story that looked like the red from the pen completely overtook the black ink.

The poor girl looked like she was a calf being led to the slaughter.

The girl nodded solemnly as the rest of the room waited to see if she would break down in tears in front of everyone. Chloe could only look around the room and wonder if this was to be daily event. It seemed to be. The room went back to its chaotic noise level.

Chloe however overheard the conversation.

"Vicki right? Can I give you a hint?" she said.

The girl who was probably a freshman nodded.

"Try a camera. From what Etta has been telling me you have a great eye. She'll set you up with everything you need ok?"

The girl nodded, she was by then shaking in fear.

"Hey Sullivan what did you do back in Smallville?"

"I was editor of my school newspaper."

"What was it called?"

"The Torch."

"Good since you were an editor, edit this for me. You could become an editor if you prove that you can catch the majority of mistakes and give proper criticism."

"I'm sorry but what is your name?"

"Oh excuse me, hectic first day. I'm Nina. So please edit this, thanks."

Chloe took the outstretched paper and started looking over the document.

Nina was looking some other things.

"Excuse me Chloe?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Can you tell me what exactly this thing is?"

Nina held up a picture of a green mass that could possibly be the Loch Ness monster or a booger magnified.

"Uhhhhhh…UFO?"

"Crap well it's not a full day until I get into a fight. Well this ought to be fun," said Nina. "ASHLEY!"

A girl who looked like she could be Victoria Hardwick's sister but with bleach blonde hair stood up from one of the corner and walked over to the table.

Chloe couldn't hear the conversation this time but she could tell that both girls were inches from starting a very nasty fight.

Chloe got up to throw away some strange piece of lint that was in her pocket. She was walking back when it happened.

Ashley got loud.

"Oh fuck you Nina!"

"I'm just being honest about just how much your pictures suck," Nina said.

Nina shoved a folder full of pictures into the girl's hand. Chloe watched one spill out of the folder and it did indeed suck. It was Loch Ness booger, evidently she was the photographer.

Chloe would find out later that it was a story on a new biology teacher and that out of focus green thing was the teacher or at least the plant the teacher owned.

The tall blonde turned to walk back to her group and instead ran right into Chloe. Ashley looked down her long perfect nose.

"So Smallville?" said the girl with disdain dripping from her voice.

Chloe refused to look up at the Hardwick reject.

"I'm talking to you Smallville. What's your name Smallville?" she said with what seemed to be an even more condescending tone.

A girl who looked like she wanted this bleach blonde bimbo to desperately notice her yelled out 'Chloe Sullivan'.

"So your name's Chloe Sullivan?"

"I think your fan club member mentioned that," said Chloe.

"I'm Ashley Wey. I'm the only thing that matters in this school Sullivan, so don't get in my way. It's just a warning that you should take care to note."

"Really? Is this where you punch me and say, 'Welcome to Gotham, bitch!', I've already had enough of the Gotham welcome wagon."

The girl scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"So I guess everything is small in Smallville," said the girl looking at Chloe's diminutive height and the fact that she had a smaller chest than her. Chloe looked up to see that her breasts looked as if they could pop if a needle came near them. Chloe was about to retort when Nina spoke up.

"Ashley I know your brain can only handle one thing at a time but your pictures are making bad photographers spin in their graves. Try and get some different angles. I know you like working on your knees so use that to your advantage when taking the pictures."

Ashley's fair skin that looked like she tried to cover with several layers of a spray on tan still became red.

"Stop trying to act all above me, I know you."

Nina did not look up and continued working on the page in front of her.

"So does everyone who reads Gossip Gerty's column in the Gotham Times," said Nina not looking up.

Ashley walked back then leaned down and hissed something in Nina's ear. Nina was still looking down but her grip tightened slightly on her pen.

"I think you're mistaken, that's you," said Nina in a tone that said screw you.

Ashley scoffed and started to walk away when Nina finally looked up at the girl. "Ashley," said Nina in a tone that managed to be both saccharine and baiting the girl to look at her.

Ashley turned to look at her, "By the way your tits look fantastic, gift from daddy or mommy? As a journalist I need to ask as a follow up was it to make up for walking in on your "nanny" being a backwards cowgirl for your father?"

The tall girl looked like she was going to kill her much shorter editor when a nun walked in and dropped off something giving it to one of the girls near the door.

The girl gave it to Nina who put it in her pocket.

Ashley meanwhile retreated back to her corner.

"Ouch," said Chloe.

"What?"

"That was a little harsh."

"She's an idiot who has done far worse things to others. Just be grateful you were not here sophomore year besides I needed to establish that she should not completely disregard me just because were the same age but I'm the one who's in charge. Plus she was pissed at me and well she should not take it out on you."

"Oh."

"Of course I also dislike her with the passion of a thousand suns. So are you done editing?"

"Almost."

"Ok let me know when you are done."

Five minutes later Chloe was handing back the marked up story to Nina. Putting down her pen she looked over the work.

"Good job."

"Thanks."

"So would you like to be co-editor in chief?"

"Excuse me?"

"Normally there are two editors-in-chief but this year I got the job alone. I have to help the ones who can write ok stories; write better stories. I have to deal with 16 different staff writers who took this class so they could sleep. I have some who took it to improve their already atrocious writing skills. So do you feel like being co-captain on this sinking ship of a newspaper?"

"Hell yeah."

Maybe she would not put Bruce Wayne in a sack with a wolverine and beat him with a billy club. Maybe a squirrel and a wiffle bat instead.

About thirty minutes later, Chloe left the class. Putting her books back in the locker Chloe wished they'd let them bring book bags to class. Stupid fire regulations, she thought.

"Chloe!"

Chloe turned around to see Etta.

"Hey Etta, what's going on? What happened to you during journalism? You just disappeared."

"I had to go take pictures of some damn architectural thing. It was pure sucking up to wealthy alumna. Just going to lunch, I'm starving. You have it with me right?"

"Yeah."

"Let's go."

The two girls walked down the hallway towards the cafeteria.

After being carefully warned of what not to eat, which turned out to be everything, Chloe and Etta were sitting down at a table near the south side of the cafeteria. She could see Nina and about five others sitting at the table.

It was a round table and there was only one seat left.

Etta gestured for her to take the seat.

"No I couldn't."

"Don't worry."

"Oh let me," said a tall girl who walked to the center of the cafeteria and stole a seat from the table where Ashley Wey and several other orange people sat.

"Hey!" said one of the girls.

"Is not on the menu today but if you went to a stable you could probably get it with that face."

"That's Martha," said Etta.

"That was little mean," said Chloe.

"Yeah Martha can be a bit abrasive but she's good people."

The girl sat down somehow managing to turn even more orange.

"Ooooo…she's almost Oompa Lompa colored today. I should just steal a paint swatch from work and use it to figure out what color she is exactly," said a dark haired girl.

"I thought you knew Kali, she already has one, she uses it to color coordinate her skin with her clothes," said Nina.

"The big question is what does one wear with carrot?" said a thin black girl.

"I think a nice big green hat with ribbons sticking out the top," said an Asian girl.

"Here you go…"said Martha.

Chloe wondered for a second if she wanted to sit with these girls, they were sort of bitches.

"I'm sorry what's your name?"

"Chloe Sullivan. I'm from Smallville, Kansas."

"It's her first day take it easy on her, you slaggy bitches," said Etta.

Well at least they are aware of it realized Chloe as she took the seat.

Everyone was seated and she was introduced around the table. Lan a tall blondish-red head sat next to her, then Nina, Kali, Martha, Patricia the thin black girl, Sue the Asian girl and Etta next to her.

Everyone asked her questions, the usual, why was she here, "Father's job."

Did she have a boyfriend, "There was guy but he wanted to just be friends."

What was Smallville like? "It had its moments of non-small town moments."

What did she think of Gotham? "Got mugged my first night here, luckily I was with this guy who sort of helped me."

That got every interested, she talked about Smallville, Lex and how he lived there.

Then that brought on question of, did she ever hook-up with Lex? "No we argue more than anything."

Nina and Etta started having a debate across her and Lan on how all great romantic comedies start that way. It seemed like they were agreeing but… disagreeing on a Hepburn?

Chloe notice the other four sitting across from them had delved into a conversation about turtles, well that's what she heard, she thought. She tried following Nina and Etta's debate.

She felt a nudge on her elbow and noticed Lan's fries being pushed on her.

"Psss…just have a French fry, nod and smile," said Lan.

Chloe took the fry and smiled.

It was nearing the end of the day and Chloe was actually sad in a very, very disturbing way to be leaving this place. She packed her books away and nodded to a few people she had seen or met in other classes. People were suspiciously nice to her even on her first day. She did not want to know why, just hoped that when they turned her into a pod person, she would somehow remember it, Clark would probably save her, she'd write about it and win an award.

She walked out the entrance to the school then heard the honking of a horn. She looked up to see Nina.

"Hop in."

"What?"

"We're going to the same place."

"Really?"

"Yeah Lucius is my Pops."

"Excuse me?"

"Lucius Fox, I'll tell you the whole story, later."

Chloe got in the car. Lan and Angela tagged along. They went to Wayne Enterprises and after a game of spy vs. spy vs. spy vs. spy which essentially involved the four of them playing with Nerf guns and humming the Mission Impossible theme, while wandering the halls. They nearly got themselves banned from the building but Chloe had never had so much fun that did not in the end have any connection to meteor rocks.

The leaves had fallen off the trees, Nina had celebrated her 18th birthday, the first snow had already arrived, gifts were exchanged for Christmas. Chloe had found that she met some nice people but formed a close circle with Nina, Lan and Etta. They had even set-up a code in order to pass notes. It was seemed a bit third grade but when a teacher picked up one of their notes and a look crossed her face of confusion it was deemed worth it. Now nearly a week after a particularly memorable New Year's Eve in which they stole Chloe from the monotony of a Wayne Enterprises party and celebrated the coming year at a gay club in her neighborhood where Lan's older sister Elliot was an owner and bartender with her wife Stacie. She had met Nina's hot friend Danny and his gorgeous boyfriend Derrick. They had both kissed her at mid-night but it still did not change the fact that less than five minutes later they were basically giving one another mouth to mouth.

Chloe also found that something had shifted having lost her meteor freaks she did not have some big mystery encompassing her time, she actually had a life. She did not have to do some research for Clark, hide his secret from the whole town, fix Lana and Clark's relationship. She was Chloe Sullivan co-editor-in-chief who would use her column to rally against the corruption in Gotham.

So here they were, January 5 it was Lan's birthday party. She had wanted a quiet party. Her mother was a lady who lunches and her father a man who is always at the club with his irons, they wanted a party that cost more than Chloe's home in Smallville. They instead agreed on dinner at the most expensive restaurant with her boyfriend Kyle. So they were having a mini friend party. The four sat in the house's solarium. Each person had smile on her face and the conversation was light and fun.

That's how the party was going, then it got to that light night moment past the hysterical laughter and suddenly it felt like the inside of a priest's confessional and each spilled their guts.

"So we are pretty much all damaged?" asked Lan.

"Everyone is damaged," said Chloe.

"Is that a Quinn-ism?

"Yup. Dr. Quinn can be a bit cynical."

"True. It just depends on how you deal with it."

"I think that's it. Also chocolate and alcohol help you deal with it."

"So rum balls are essentially the solution to every problem?"

"Basically. Why do you think I ordered this cake?"

"Well, I'll toast to that," said Nina.

"Eat to it," said Chloe.

"That sounds wrong."

"Grab a piece of cake."

"Why it's a piece of cake."

"OK no more stupid jokes tonight."

"Knock, knock…"

Three pillows simultaneously hit Lan in the face and each grabbed another piece of cake and woke up the next morning still full.

The last few months of Chloe's senior year of high school was when she looked back a very good year. There were no freaks the only time she heard of those was when she talked to Clark or Lana. And those phone calls were decreasing rapidly.

She would call them and they were not home or they would call her and she was not home.

She did not even notice when they stopped.

Her graduation was surprisingly underwhelming. Some person whose fashion choices were debated heavily at many graduation parties to follow spoke for what felt like hours but was only twenty minutes. She received her diploma heard her father's camera and saw the flash.

Two weeks after graduation there was an e-mail from Lana, she was not that surprised. She was surprised by the tone of it, the message felt like she was saying that she had abandoned her. Then she seemed to dismiss her new life and friends with her last sentence of, "Well you're probably bored with your Gotham people, who from what you have told me, sound mean, and you're probably missing the excitement of Smallville." Lana was never that good at grasping the concept of sarcasm so she knew that she was being honest.

Chloe's first response was a long response addressing why that was not true but she instead settled on the simple and most succinct answer, "No."


End file.
